Strength Solutions, Inc., an Olean-based nonprofit, recently received a $250,000 grant from WinnCompanies and Sibley Square to provide scholarships to participants in its strength-based technology programs.
“It’s very exciting that WinnCompanies saw the value in what Strength Solutions is bringing to the Rochester area,” said Mike Marvin, executive director. “We can’t wait to get working on providing training and tech education for people who couldn’t afford it otherwise. Thanks to this generous grant we will be able to welcome a broad spectrum of the community to the new technology center.”
Strength Solutions helps people and organizations identify their strengths to overcome obstacles. Its flagship programs, TECH Unleashed and TECH Launch, facilitate learning and growth for participants ages 13-17 and 17 and over, respectively.
The Rochester programs will be held at the new Boundless Connections Technology Center Rochester site, set to open January 2020 in Sibley Square.
Participants receive training in The Virtues Project™ as well as technology-based skills. They also receive membership to the Boundless Connections Technology Center.
Strength Solutions provides character strength assessments for individuals and organizations to help establish goals that can be achieved through strategic coaching, peer exchanges, skills development, workforce training and digital technology.
Strength Solutions uses grants and donations to assure its programs and services are accessible and inclusive to all individuals, especially marginalized members of the community, at-risk youth, families in need of parenting skills building, employment seekers and organizations that serve those community members.
“This grant also provides us with the opportunity to collaborate with other individuals and organizations to share our mission,” said Marvin.
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“As a master facilitator of The Virtues Project™, I’ve seen the results using the strategies can bring and we’re excited to get started in Rochester.”
WinnCompanies has earned more than 100 awards for developing and managing affordable, high-performing multifamily properties; industry and program excellence; historic preservation and adaptive reuse; green building practices; community service; and, professional achievement.
WinnCompanies and its 3,000 team members believe they have an obligation to make positive contributions to the quality of life in the communities in which they do business.
Through its corporate citizenship program, WinnCares, the company and its members supports and participates in a wide array of charitable, volunteer and service-related activities.
TECH Unleashed is an annual program designed to engage young people with an interest in computer and mobile technology. Young men and women age 13-17 interested in computer and mobile technology meet two hours a week and in extended summer, winter and spring camps where they work on projects to benefit the community.
Tech Unleashed was created in response to input from employers who recognized the need for a local pool of technically competent professionals to fill a variety of jobs including positions like PLC programmers, hardware and software support, web programming, financial analysis and audio and video production for marketing.
TECH Launch is a 3-month program for individuals over 17 who want to take time to set and move on their career goals.
Participants set their own 3-month goals and meet with a mentor once a week. During this time they receive the 12-hour Intro to The Virtues Project™, part of a global grassroots initiative to empower individuals to live more authentic meaningful lives, families to raise children of compassion and integrity, educators to create safe, caring, and high performing learning communities, and leaders to encourage excellence and ethics in the workplace.
